Thrust bearing



5 1936- D. H. STOUGHTON 2,050,817

THRUST BEARING Filed Aug. 22, 1955 A TTOENE y UNETE STATES FAE'ENT @FFEQE THRUST BEARENG Dillis H. Stoughton, University City, Mo., as-

signor to Shapleigh Hardware Company, St. Louis, M0., a corporation of Missouri Application August 22, 1935, Serial No. 37,309 1 Claim. (01. 808-135) This invention relates generally to thrust bearend portions thereof and the end wall 5 of the ings adapted for use at ends of shafts and other cap 3. The plug 6 is provided with spaced aperrotatable elements, the predominant object of tures H, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, which the invention being to provide an improved and are adapted to receive a spanner tool so that the 5 simplified thrust bearing which performs its inplug may be rotated for introducing the plug into 5 tended function in a highly efficient manner. the opening I and for removing said plug from Fig. l is a plan view of a fishing reel having a the opening. The balls H] of the thrust bearing pair of the improved thrust bearings associated structures arranged at the opposite ends of the therewith. shaft C contact with the opposite ends of said 10 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged view, partly shaft, the shaft C being provided with tapered 10 in elevation and partly in section, showing the portions C at its opposite ends which contact improved thrust bearing in association with parts with said balls. of a fishing reel. The cap 3 of each thrust bearing structure is Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. provided with an annular recess l2 which is open Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of the invenat one end of the cap as shown most clearly in 15 tion. Fig. 2, and resilient fingers l3 of a member l3 In the drawing, wherein are shown for the purare extended into said recess and press against pose of illustration, merely, two embodiments of a wall thereof. The member l3 includes a base the invention, A designates a fishing reel of comportion It, from which the resilient fingers exmon construction, said fishing reel including the tend, said base portion having an opening formed 20 usual frame B which supports a rotatable shaft therethrough through which a portion of the C on which is fixedly mounted a member D on associated bearing member I extends, and said which a fishing line is wound and unwound durmember l3 being held in place by having a portion ing operation of the reel. Rotary motion is imthereof which surrounds the opening formed 5 parted to the shaft C and the member D of the through the base portion of said member clamped fishing reel A through the instrumentality of a between a shoulder i5 formed on the bearing handle E, such rotary motion being transmitted member i and the adjacent face of the frame of from the handle E to the shaft C through suitthe reel A. The pressure exerted against the wall able gearing (not shown), which is enclosed withof the annular recess l2 of the cap 3 by the rein the housing portion F of the reel A. silient fingers it" of the member l3 prevents un- 30 At its ends the shaft C of the fishing reel A intended rotation of said cap. is supported by bearing members I which are In the use of the improved thrust bearings, the

supported by the frame of the reel, said bearing antifriction balls It are in rolling contact with members including each an externally screwthe opposite ends of the shaft C, and. as a result threaded portion 2 which extends outwardly from thereof end thrust of the shaft is prevented. Also,

the frame of the reel. Mounted on the extended as wear is produced at the ends of the shaft beportion 2 of each bearing member I is a. cap 3 cause of long and continued contact with the which is provided with a screw-threaded opening ls IS. the c ps 3 m y b s r w d inw rdly with 4 formed therein, the threads of which engage relation to the ends of the shaft so as to mainthe external screw-threads of the associated beartain close contact between the ends of the shaft 40 ing member. The opening 4 is open at the inner and the balls, and thereby eliminate any play end of the cap and is closed at the outer end of between said parts. the cap by an end wall 5. Located within the In Fig. 4 I illustrate a construction where the screw-threaded opening 4 formed in the cap 3 end of the shaft C is provided truth a cup-shaped is an externally screw-threaded plug 6 which is depression C which receives a portion of the 5 provided with a centrally located opening 1 associated anti-friction ball I0. Thus the antiformed therethrough, said opening I being of friction ball serves to aline the shaft and wear on reduced diameter at one end as designated by the the bearing member Which pp the S a reference character 8 in Fig. 2. is minimized.

The face 9 of the plug 6, which is opposite to While in this application the improved thrust 50 the face thereof at which the reduced end portion ng s illustrated a d des ibed n associaof the opening I is located, is arranged in contion with a fishing reel, it is to be understood that tact with the inner face of the wall 5 of the cap s Was done merely for Convenience in s ib- 3, and an anti-friction ball I0 is confined within ing the invention, as the invention'is not limited the opening 7 of the plug between the reduced to such precise use. As a matter of fact, the im- 55 Cal proved thrust bearing is capabie of use with a great variety of apparatus Where thrust bearings are required.

I claim:

In combination with a shaft, a bearing member for supporting said shaft for rotary motion, said bearing member being provided with an externally screw-threaded portion, an internally screw-threaded cap mounted on the screw- 0 threaded portion of said bearing memben, a

screw-threaded piug within said cap, an anti friction element supported by and confined within said cap by said plug, said anti-friction element adapted to contact with an end of said shaft, said cap being adjustable on said screw-threaded portion of said bearing member so as to maintain said anti-friction element in close contact with the end of said shaft. 

